Bitlocker Recovery

Hi,

It appears that charge cord for Dell laptop needed to be replaced and now with a new charge cord the computer is asking me for Bitlocker Recovery. I don't know what is the Recovery code and computer was bought brand new through Dell. Don't have USB either and wondering how can I find the code to get the computer going.

If nothing else can be done, I assume that I would have to reset the computer. Could you provide some directions to do that and will the original software (windows, etc.) could be re-installed as I don't have the discs but had some software that came with the laptop with the purchase.

 

I don't think that you can get the BitLocker recovery key from the computer now; that would defeat the purpose of encrypting the drive in the first place. When you turn on BitLocker, you need to print the recovery key and save it in a safe place. If you receive a computer with BitLocker already enabled, you need to tell Windows to display the recovery key so you can print and save it. When Windows asks you for the key, it's too late to do this.

Is your laptop still under warranty? If so, you should contact Dell support for help:

Customer service chat
Customer service email: us_sales@dell.com
Customer service: 1-800-624-9897
Technical support: 1-800-999-3355​

The worst-case scenario is that you'll need to reinstall Windows from scratch. MajorGeeks has Microsoft's Windows 10 Media Creation Tool here. You'll need an 8GB or larger flash drive to hold the software. You'll also have to reinstall the drivers. The Dell Update Application can help you with this process.

 

It appears that Dell and likely other pc manufactures are automatically installing bitlocker on their systems. I happen to think this is a bad idea, because it happens without the user being aware.